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US judge orders Google to open app store to competitors
(www.bbc.com)
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this post was submitted on 08 Oct 2024
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It's because Google is using their market dominance to essentially force OEMs to do what Google wants them to do.
You can't have a successful Android device without the Play store, or access to any Google apps. Shit, for lots of apps, they will be straight up broken without Play Services installed, or notifications won't work.
The market reality is that you have to have the play store. Google knows this, so they attach all kinds of extra requirements on OEMs to push Google services and tracking.
Apple doesn't do this. Yes, Apple's system is more locked down than Google's (by far), but Apple is not using their market position to force anything on anybody or any OEM. Google is. Apple has not forced Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, Sony, etc to do anything. They are only doing things of their own accord, on their own devices.
What Apple is doing is the same as what the games consoles do. You buy a Sony console, it has Sony software, Sony's storefront, Sony-sanctioned games. It's an ecosystem they're putting on their own product, as opposed to Google strong-arming other companies into pushing Google's ecosystem, because Google knows they have no realistic alternative. That's why one is abuse of market dominance and the other isn't.
This is the clearest and most sensible explanation of the situation, but I'm still not sure what's meant by "opening the app store". The reality is apps can be sideloaded and distributed freely on Android, even unrooted. Sure, Google requires OEMs to push Google services and tracking, and that's evil and horrible and nasty, but do they actually force that onto app developers as well?
Perhaps they mean allowing android OEMs to ship with the play store without having to agree to all the other Google requirements.
Edit: Sorry! I misread your comment at first. Yeah, now that you say that, that makes the most sense.
But from the standpoint of anti-competitivity and Android vs iOS with Apple...
One's behavior is denying access to their app store without agreeing to a set of device restrictions, but everything on the app store is available without the app store at developer discretion.
The other is an app store which MUST be installed, and is in fact the ONLY way to get software for the device.
One is CLEARLY more anti-competitive than the other, and yet the one that's LESS problematic is the one that gets court action. It's a joke.
Come on, man, my comment isn't that long. Just read it.
Repeating my own comment back to me in a way that doesn't even make sense doesn't make you witty, it makes you look like someone who doesn't know how to interract with people like an adult.
You never addressed my comment at all. Apple isn't abusing their dominant market position by putting what they want on their own phones.
Google is abusing their market position by forcing other OEMs to do what Google wants, knowing they have no other choice.
Do you understand now?
If you want Apple to be punished, write some new laws, because they aren't breaking the one Google is.
I really don't know how you aren't grasping this.
Apple isn't forcing anybody to do anything, because they make their own device. (iPhones are made by Apple).
Google is forcing OEMs to do all sorts of things, because they have no choice but to use Android/the play store. (Other phones, e.g. Samsung's Galaxy S series, aren't made by Google).
Do you understand? I'm not sure I can make this any more simple. What's going on in your head that's not letting you understand this?
And you were wrong.
People and companies are not compelled to open source their software. Apple doesn't have to open source iOS or offer it on other devices if they don't want to. Same goes for Sony/Xbox/Nintendo.
If I code a game, it's not illegal for me to keep the source code to myself.
No, if Google had done what Apple did, nobody would've flocked to Android in the first place, and we'd have more competition. Do you think there were no phone makers before Android or something?
It's incredible how you still don't get it despite me very clearly explaining it multiple times.
Apple. Is. Not. Imposing. Terms. On. Phonemakers.
Google is. Because their dominant market position allows them to.
If Google did this only for their own Pixel line, it would be fine.
It's not abusing your market position to not open source your own software. If I make a game, I don't have to let people have the source code. How don't you understand this?
I've explained many times why Google's options are abusive of their market position and Apple's aren't. You're just unable to understand, it's like talking to a brick wall.
There’s that nuance again. Seems to not be very popular around here. Good point though. Well said.